(Oooh damn, no one is safe. It's all for character development XP

Echh, I feel this XP Besides the awful grammar, which is a given with my old writing, I also feel like I never really did my characters justice. Which is a crime basically, but what's done is done and all I have to do is burn it with fire.

Ah he won't be joining them, but Cloud might wanna behave whenever he decides to pop in XD Also, I sincerely apologise for Elio.)

Elio will go ahead and admit it. He was impressed.

The kid might not seem like much, but Elio didn't fail to notice the confidence in his stance, the calculating gaze that swept over his surroundings, the understanding that existed between him and his Pokémon. He was young, but his every move betrayed years of training and persistence.

He was impressed, yes.

However, he was not at all appreciative of the ice shards that scattered everywhere, making him flinch and thank Arceus his hiding spot shielded him from the sharp ice. He was also not quite appreciative of the temperature drop that had him take Allie in his arms, shielding her from the cold. Even if it was incredible strategy. He hated the cold.

Elio considered ordering Allie to get them out of there - the Pokémon certainly seemed approving of the idea. However...

Elio eyed the hurt Beedrill. It was a fast Pokémon - and apparently quite strong, too. His hand shifted to the empty Pokeballs on his belt.

"Allie," his voice was nothing more than a whisper as he leaned in. His Pokémon gave him a warning look.

"Use Psychic."

If the Abra could groan, she certainly would've. But then Allie disappeared, reappearing on the branches of a tree where she knew it would be difficult to get caught, and used Psychic - on both Sneasel and its trainer.

(Exaaaactly. So unless I'm adopting pipi's character too, she better haul it back over to Fanpop 😂

Felt that tbh, Aaron and Daisy never really got shine, and Silver could have been done better, but alas, I cannot turn back the hands of time

Cloud? Behave? Lmaooo Okay

WOOOOOOOW, Elio's a damn snake 😂 Too bad dark types are immune to psychic)

The sudden sensation of warmth flooded Cloud's body, and without time to think, the warmth felt like a million needles, all repeatedly jabbing his body from every direction. "Tch...AAAAAAAGH!" He screamed, immediately collapsing to the ground and writhing in pain. Sneasel, who seemed unaffected, rushed over to his trainer, angrily growling.

"Sneasel, snea!" He turned around furiously, eyes searching for the culprit before finish locking on the Abra. "SNEA!" It screamed, hurling an Ice Shard at the psychic.

(Or I mean, we can sorta say she and Matt talk over the phone regularly or something? At least that's what I'm gonna be doing with Magia XP

Goshh, I remember so little of these guys,, I only seem to remember, like, very specific stuff, and even then my memory is blurry. Everything seems to demand that I reread the rps, but quite frankly, I'm terrified

Yeah, I figured that would be the case XD Which is wonderful, because we can't possibly have Cloud get along with one of the siblings. That's, like, illegal.

Well, this is gonna be fun XD)

"So it's a dual type - Ice and dark," Elio thought, noting Sneasel's immunity to Psychic while its trainer crumbled and screamed in pain. Did he feel sorry for the kid? Maybe, but there were more important matters at hand - namely the Beedrill that was still seemingly begging him to capture it.

Despite having no further orders, Allie seemed to have a pretty good idea of what she was supposed to do - much to her dismay. The Abra jumped - and teleported mid-air, reappearing and landing behind some bushes, albeit not quite bothering to be very discreet about it. She peeked over the bushes, bracing herself from the next attack.

Meanwhile, Elio decided to move. He slipped on his mask - the same that he wore when he broke into the laboratory - and moved from bush to bush, tree to tree, careful to keep his breathing steady and steps light. An empty Pokeball in his hand, Elio locked his gaze on the Beedrill.

Just a little closer, and he'd be able to catch it.

(We cooouuuld say that. I actually have some ideas that could work with that, have some relationship conflict since Matt and Leo never got together

Honestly not much to remember for Aaron and Daisy, they're just...there 😂 I only really need to read the romance saga of the legendary saga to refresh my memory on MattXLeo stuff, but you probably need a bit more

It will be 😂)

Sneasel grimaced, noting Ralts' speed. No, not speed, it could teleport. The dark type closed its eyes in irritation. What could he do to counter instantaneous movement? Meanwhile, Cloud was slowly beginning to regain control over his muscles, inching forward. "Some...one....wants...my..." He paused to breathe, holding back another pained shout. "My....catch." Sneasel's eyes widened, and Cloud gestured to the Pokeballs on his waist. "Sneasel....do it." The boy face planted into the dirt, and Sneasel wasted no time in snatching a ball from his trainer's belt. He needed to catch that Beedrill, that meant batting the Ralts and if need be, the trainer as well.

"Snea!" Sneasel was ready. He wouldn't ever let Cloud down, not now, not ever.

(Apologies, I was unexpectedly gone a lot of the day)
(Also, had to quickly skim to remember the events that I missed XP I'm very confused)

(Okay, I found it. XD I'll just reply to Ara then)
Wylie nodded. "Hey, don't worry about me, I'm fine. I bounce back quick." He didn't particularly want to admit it, but he was shaken up by the whole experience. Nothing so crazy had happened to him before- generally his life had been much more quiet. Still, he wore a smile. "Luckily, my Pokemon came out alright, too."

(It's cool, and yeeeeaaaah, a few things happened, but only one thing was near where your character was 😂)

(XD Yeah, I'm still trying to work out where I can jump back in, seeing as I missed a lot of plot stuff. So bear with me a bit if it's a shaky start)

(It's fine, once we rope you back in you'll be spitting out paragraphs too lmao Lots of plot and we haven't even hit the first major city)

(True, true. XD Might also rework Wylie's character sheet, since I'm no longer really satisfied with it. Definitely going to redraw him soon)

(I mean honestly, most of what happened can be summed up in "evil guys steal Pokemon, house explodes, Cloud gets mad and he and Ara have a brief cosmic therapy session." It really wasn't too much XD Also, I'll probably rewrite Ara's character sheet too at some point, because some stuff there are inaccurate as hell. Looking forward to Wylie's redraw pic tho! <3

Ooh, realionship drama. That should be very fun to watch. Poor Matty boy, though. XD

Oh I definitely need a bit more, a lot more. I began rereading just the other day, and I was slowing ceasing to exist, but hey, at least Matt's awkwardly crushing made it a fun read!)

"Okay," the relief in Ara's face was evident, shoulders relaxing. "Okay, good. We're fine, too -- Cloud and I. Well, mostly, but -- oh!" She whipped her head around, where the other two girls were standing.

"You haven't met Sage and Shadow -- we met them just a while ago. Come!" Hastily, the girl grabbed Wylie's arm and led him to the two girls, relieved he would be joining them. At the very back of her head, she was taken aback by the fact that she considered him one of them now -- took it for granted that he would be traveling with them. Ara bit her lip. She hoped Wylie would be okay with that.
~~~~~~~~
"Well, I'll be damned."

Although most of his attention was on Beedrill, and on moving without being noticed or stepping on any of those goddamn ice shards scattered everywhere, Elio was making sure to monitor the opposing team's moves as well. The boy seemed to have figured out what was going on quickly enough -- and had promptly entrusted everything to his Sneasel. Behind his mask, the corner of Elio's mouth tugged into a smirk.

The kid would've made a formidable opponent, had he been conscious.

But much like him, Elio trusted his own Pokemon -- to keep that Sneasel's attention away from the Beedrill, away from him as he slumped behind a bush. He was close, so close.

Allie's eyes locked on the Pokeball in Sneasel's hands -- and went on the offensive.

She emerged from the bushes, feet a few inches off the ground and squinted eyes burning with determination, and teleported once again -- only to reappear beside Sneasel, small fist engulfed in flames. She wouldn't bother with psychic attacks anymore -- a Fire Punch was all she needed.

(Yeah, that sums it up fine. "Cosmic therapy session" sounds like a Cloud line. Might steal that 😂 I slightly updated Cloud, but I was vague to begin with, so I left it alone for the most part

Literally poor him, all he does is go through trauma every major arc he's involved in

The black hole of the romance saga made me forget all the stuff with Team Rocket ever happened 😂 Good luck with that read)

Sage's face lit up at the prospect of a new person, a new victim for her por-ahem-romance stories, but more importantly, a new friend. The green haired girl smiled wide, offering a handshake to the boy. "Hi! My name's Sage, expert novelist and Kanto native. Pleasure to meet'cha!" Despite the thought of her Pokemon lingering in the back of her mind, she seemed to radiate positive energy. Meanwhile, Shadow remained her stoic self, only offering a slight nod.

"Shadow." Was all she said, voice nearly montone.
~~~~~
Sneasel, eyes still closed, without even flinching began glowing with a thin white aura before bending over backwards, very narrowly avoiding the fire punch. Not missing a beat, he full sprinting towards Beedrill, agility now boosting his speed. He had to reach that Beedrill, follow Cloud's orders before it was too late. Not looking back, Sneasel made more Ice Shards and scattered them, dropping the temperature even further. He would slow everyone down until he was the only one who could move if he had to.

Nobody else was touching that Beedrill.

Cloud was blinking in and out of consciousness, gritting his teeth as if trying to outlast the dull ache of everything in his body. It felt as if his own pulse had betrayed him, a rythmic beating of pain playing inside him, extending to every inch of his immobile body. He lightly flinched as the temperature dropped, muttering a few curses under his breath. He hadn't bern training as often as he used to and it was showing. Damn it! I need to get up and help Sneasel! I can't go down like this! He tried to will his legs iinto action, but his efforts failed. The psychic had seemingly rendered him totally disconnected from his body. Move, body, move! I need to get up! I can't let Sneasel do this alone!
~~~~~
You're slowing down, Cloud!" Pryce shouted, shoving his palm into the boy's chest and sending him crumpling to the ground. Cloud was coughing furiously while Pryce merely shook his head, crossing his arms. "You're still thinking before you move, and it's slowing you down. Free movement martial arts is a matter of instinct, not intellect. Your mind thinks ten steps ahead, Cloud, and while that is one of your strongest traits in a pokemon battle, this is not about strategy." Cloud struggled to his feet, still coughing. "Close your eyes, empty your mind. Feel the air on your skin, listen to your heartbeat, let the emptiness take you in, and when you finally enter that state..."
~~~~~

Your body will take care of itself.

Cloud closed his eyes again, tuning out the sounds of battle and the pain coarsing through him.

Five.

One beat, he'd heard it. That was his heart.

Four.

His mind was empty, and suddenly even the ground felt like it was melting away.

Three.

He could only hear his heart, the sound grew louder, time seeming to slow down around him.

Two.

He took a deep breath, and in an instant it came flowing through him. That sensation of pure nothingness. Like spectating his own existence.

One.

And at almost inhuman speed, Cloud was on his feet, running for the Beedrill with movement that wasn't his own.

Nobody else was touching that Beedrill.

(Gotcha, gotcha. And yeah, Wylie's just needs a bit of retooling)

"Hey, guys!" Wylie didn't seem to mind the implication that he was tied to the others in their journey- either that or he just didn't notice it. "Name's Wylie. I come from pretty close to here." He accepted Sage's handshake. "And a novelist? That's pretty cool," he said, blissfully unaware.

(Oh go ahead and take it, I'm glad to have been of use XD And I went back and read the updated bio; I might just have to murder you for making me even more curious now XP

Yes but listen, hear me out. It's for Character Development™.

Well, that sounds all sorts of fun. Time to dive into the dak hole of the romance arc and never see the light of day again.)

Ara watched the three introduce themselves with a smile on her lips. Said smile wavered a bit when Wylie commended Sage's hobby - she had seen her at work, and had not at all appreciated the expression she wore as she scribbled away. However, the girl decided not to think about that right now.

"They'll be coming with us," Ara explained to Wylie, gesturing to the girls. Then she paused, realising that by 'us' she meant him, her and Cloud. So, with an air of nervousness, she quickly added: "You'll be coming with us too, right? To figure out this entire thing about these necklaces and all," She was practically begging with her gaze - please, please say yes.
~~~~~~~~
Shit.

Allie's squinted eyes widened, the flames not meeting their target, herself falling forward until her claws dug into the cold ground.

Shit.

Elio's head jerked to the side. He didn't dare look, didn't dare reveal himself as he heard footsteps - tiny and fast, making a beeline towards his own target. His heart began racing again.

And then, he didn't know why, didn't know how, but the sound was joined by more footsteps - heavier, bigger, but not far behind in speed.

He heard Allie growl, then the equally familiar sound of her teleporting.

Shit, shit, shit.

Elio had less than seconds left; each heartbeat marked time lost, every inch of his body ached with the need to move, move, move - plans and strategies be damned.

So, that's exactly what he did.

Elio kicked into a run - no time to cover himself properly, no time to think; an ice shard dug into the sole of his shoe and then into his foot, but his mind and body was focused on the Pokémon laying on the ground - on the Beedrill.

He heard Allie reappear, ready to snatch him up if anything went wrong.

And then, Elio threw the Pokeball.

"Oh." It had suddenly hit Wylie. Since he had gotten a necklace, and the other two had them as well, Ara was right. It was best that they stuck together. Now that he'd been given this seemingly out of nowhere, curiosity had overtaken him, and he had to figure out what it meant. Besides, after seeing a building up and explode, he wasn't too eager to trek out by himself on his journey. So he decided, "'Course I will."

(I mean, I coooouuuld just tell you, but I won't XP Hope Ara gets itt out of him

The damn trademark XD Yes, absolutely. He has done the growth

Literally won't ever again XD It's a whole filler arc

Also, this whole Beedrill thing escalated really quickly)

The Pokeball being thrown seemed to stop time.

Sneasel's eyes widened as it came into his vision, too stunned to even react to the sound of it whizzing through the air. Coming to a hault, the Ice type seemed entranced by it, until a blur shot past him, a raven haired, smart mouthed, thought to be unconscious blur. Cloud leapt into air, using his forward momentum to catch the tip of the poke ball with his hand, slightly altering the course of the sphere so it landed just shy of the bug type's stinger. The sound of the metallic ball hitting thr ground was all that filled the silence of the once chaotic field, until the sound of another ball being thrown broke it, this time catching the head of the Beedrill and sucking it in. Cloud turned to see it was Sneasel, who'd tossed the one he took from Cloud's belt.

The ball jiggled once, twice, then, three times, before splitting open. In an instant a loud buzz filled the air once more, and the ball landed lifelessly on the ground,

The sound of it falling seemed to stop time.
~~~~~

"That sounds awesome!" Sage cheered, "We're all one big group now!" Shadow remained silent, though the smirk on her face indicated that she approved.

(That would take so long to happen, you're killing me here XP

Apparently he's gonna keep doing the growth, because things are all over the place in Johto and the kids are gonna need his help. Poor boy can't catch a break XP

It most certainly did! We can't have Cloud go around catching Pokémon without torturing him first, that's unacceptable.)

Instantly, Ara seemed to brighten up - the corners of her mouth stretched into a relieved grin, and she had to physically restrain herself from breathing a huge sigh, too. She nodded at Sage's remark, eyes glinting. Now there was another guy in the group - thankfully one that wasn't rude, annoying, and ready to bite everyone's head off.

"Yeah! We're, like, five people-" she briefly counted. "If those guys in suits try to attack us again, we'll probably be able to stand our ground, right?"
~~~~~
Had Elio not been so paranoid about people hearing his voice through the mask, he would have cursed.

Cursed very, very colourfully.

For he now didn't have to worry about just the boy whom he thought was unconscious - how he even managed to move his body after that Psychic attack was beyond him - but he also needed to worry about the empty, useless Pokeball on the ground.

And the buzzing. That loud, insufferable buzzing that made a shiver slither down his spine.

Behind the mask, Elio gritted his teeth - a desperate attempt to keep himself from swearing. His eyes flickered to the opposing team first; he wasn't certain whether they had spotted him or not, though he hadn't bothered to hide himself very well the few seconds before the failed capture. Elio clenched his fists; he'd think about that later.

Right now, it was the Beedrill he had to worry about.

He glanced around; calculating, planning his next move. The element of surprise was long gone - the Beedrill knew he and Allie were here, he wouldn't put it past it to attack everyone in the area. Not to mention Allie was beginning to grow tired. Despite keeping her posture steady, the Pokémon's teeth were chattering. A battle with this Beedrill - this irritatingly strong Bug-type Pokémon, would definitely put her out of commission for a few hours.

He couldn't afford that. He still needed her.

But he also wanted that Beedrill.

Elio pressed his lips together. He deattached Allie's Pokeball from his belt, and - the Pokémon slipped back inside with no protest other than a confused stare. Then, Elio ran.

He would run, and if the Beedrill followed, he'd make a second attempt to catch it. If not... well, he had better things to be doing.

(Plus they haven't talked in like two pages XD Goood things take time

Honestly, yeah, probably XD Cloud being a dick to Matt shoulld be fun to write, too

He's done nothing to deserve this torture XP)

Sage flinched slightly at the idea of standing her ground, but tried her best to cover it up with a smile. "Heck yeah! We can fight off anyone now!" Shadow raised a brow.

"Anyone? That is a rather grandiose declaration to make." Sage spat out her tongue towards her in response, eliciting a smirk from Shadow.
~~~~~

Cloud seemingly ignored the retreating boy and pokemon, though Sneasel shot the fleeing figure a dirty look. They refocused their attention toi Beedrrill, who albeit weakened and slowed by the biting cold, still furiously buzzed in the air, refusing to stay down. Had Cloud been fully consciousn, he might have acknowledged the guts of thge beee pokemon. But he wasn't all the way there at the moment. Standing mute and totally sttill. Sneasel shot a worried gaze at his trainer's state. Putting his concerns aside, Sneasel refocuseed on Beedrill. The bug shotg forward, not nearly as fast as before, enabling Sneasel to form an Ice Shard barrage, impaling the bug type alll over and sending it to the ground. Cloud wordlessly threw a pokeball, which connected, absorbing and instantly capturing it. Sneasel ran to pick it up, attaching the ball to Cloud'ss waist. The boy turned around, silently walking forward, eyes vacant as if he was nno longer the one moving his body.

"That's right!" Wylie declared dramatically. "Alone we may be weaker, but together, we are unstoppable!" Then he gave a self-conscious sort of chuckle. "Well, something like that, anyway. But point is, we should be able to handle them a lot better as a group."
Still, Wylie did silently worry. He had just expected to set off on a journey, like any other trainer in Johto would do. But in taking up this mission, he was walking into murky territory and had no idea what was in store for him. But even so, he continued to smile confidently, making sure his worry wouldn't be contagious.

(Good things take time indeed. But at the same time, I'm the most impatient person I know, and these two are stubborn as it can get XP
Oh yes, I'll be looking forward to that. I'll be expecting Matt to take zero crap, tho.
I'll admit you have a point. Originally I wasn't planning to torture him, but then Elio decided he wanted to be an ass, and now here we are XP)

Ara couldn't help but giggle. There was still a knot in her stomach and the hand resting over the brown bag didn't feel quite right, but somehow, she began feeling a bit lighter. Even though there were still visible obstacles ahead - such as Sage having no Pokémon, and Ara not knowing how to use that Chikorita in battle. Not to mention the fact that they were up against what looked like a criminal group, while they were just a bunch of kids-

Hastily, she tried to shove those thoughts aside. Everything would be okay.

"We should start heading to the next city," Ara suggested. "Wylie - you wanted to challenge the gym again, right?"
~~~~~
The buzzing no longer reached Elio's ears, so the boy stopped and dropped to the ground.

He bit his lip, checking the sole of his shoe, and soon discovered the source of the spikes of pain that shot of his foot with every step. Elio groaned in frustration and cursed under his breath. It would probably be wiser not to walk all the way back - the goddamn ice shard would make the road back quite the hellish trip, anyways. So, Elio tapped Allie's Pokeball, and the Pokémon popped right out.

"Hey," Elio greeted. The Abra crossed her arms, and her trainer scoffed. "What? It was a strong Beedrill. Couldn't just leave without trying."

Allie shook her head, looking as exasperated as an Abra can. Elio, however, was still quite excited - and intrigued. He found himself glancing back; where the brief but intense battle took place.

Perhaps he could have an actual battle with that trainer in the future. The thought had the corner of his mouth tug into a smirk - then he winced again, reminded of the jabbing pain in his foot.

"Right," he looked at Allie, who was examining him with concern. "Let's get out of here, Allie."

The Pokémon nodded. Small fingers grabbed hold of her trainer's hand, and almost instantly, the two disappeared.

"Right, right!" Wylie perked up. "Should be no problem," he added, straightening up. Then, he looked around. "But wait, what about that guy that was with us? Shouldn't we wait for him?"

(Was working all day and honestly dead, I'll reply tomorrow, if that's okay)

(It's totally fine hun! I hope you got to rest well! 💕)
"Oh, right," Ara glanced around, as if briefly searching for the boy in question. Unsurprisingly, he was nowhere to be found. "Well, we're not exactly sure we know where he went. He just kinda... left," Ara explained with a small shrug. She didn't mention the entire bit about him looking extremely upset - it was too odd to think about, amongst all the other odd things she was supposed to think about.

(Hope you're doing alright, Taika. And by all means, take your time)
"We should probably go find him before we leave. I mean, I'd be kinda ticked off if I was left behind," Wylie said with an awkward chuckle. He looked around, as if expecting to see Cloud suddenly pop out of a bush.

(Alrighty, I can't get back into my old account, so I'll have to write up a whole new sheet for Wylie later. XD But I did finish the new drawing!)

(Ahhh the new draw is so cute, he looks so precious! The true wonderbread protagonist 💖)

Ara breathed a small sigh, and gave a little nod. "You're right." she wouldn't appreciate being left behind, either, and although Cloud was an enormous a.....a jerk, Ara supposed he didn't deserve such treatment.

Even though she wanted to get out of this town as soon as possible.

Turning around, the girl raised an arm and pointed. "He went that way," she told Wylie, "Do you know where it leads?"

(I'm back from the grave, sorry I took so long. Things were happening T.T) I'm back now, so it's okay.)

(Okay, to get back into this now XD)

It didn't take long for them to make it back, with Cloud walking at borderline light speed and Sneasel struggling to comfortably keep up with his dazed trainer. The ice type had deduced now that this must be some sort of trance he brought on himself through the heat of the moment and his martial arts background, though how exactly it worked or what he had to do to snap Cloud out of it was far beyond him. For now, all he could do was stay by his trainer and protect him when needed, and hopefully this would all sort itself out and he would be back to his usual self Within a minute or two they could see the figures of the familiar group ahead, and as if losing power, Cloud began to slow down, walking at a crawl speed nearly.

(Thank you! It is the wonderbread son, in all his glory :D)
(And welcome back, Taika!)
"Well, let's see... If we keep going this way, we should come across the Dark Cave up ahead." Wylie traced the path ahead with a finger in midair. "I think so, anyway... Might have snuck out and gone there once or twice in the dead of night as a kid." He gave a mischievous smirk, before continuing, "But yeah, Violet City's at the other end, once you make your way through."

(I absolutely adore him, and I support his every endeavor 💕
Also dude, that's totally fine! Be sure not to overwork yourself though)

"Oh, are you serious?" Ara had to fight the urge to groan loudly. She had never visited this so-called 'Dak Cave' before, but the name alone told her everything she needed to know about the place: it was a cave, most likely filled with territorial Pokémon, and it was dark - which made it all the more unpleasant. Sure, Wylie might know how to navigate through - but simply the thought of marching into that dark cavern, especially after the Ursaring incident, had a cold slither down her spine.

...but then she remembered that she was the one who claimed they could 'stand their ground' against the guys in suits, so Ara tried to bite back any protest and complaint she was about to utter.

"Well, if that's where Cloud might be..." she glanced towards the road that would take them to the Dark Cave - and she blinked. Two figures were slowly making their way towards them; two very familiar figures, one of a boy and the other of a Pokémon.

"That's Cloud, isn't it?" It wasn't quite a question, no - after glaring at the boy for so long, Ara knew for a fact that the one approaching them was Cloud... even if there was something odd in the way he carried himself.

(So I went ahead and updated Ara's character sheet with a new pic and a completely rewritten personality section, because that was a long overdue. I also tried to draw what that sun necklace looked like in my head, because why the heck not XP)

(Ayyy :D I'll give it a look. Also dang, I forgot Wylie's necklace in his drawing XD)
"Huh? ... Oh!" Wylie noticed him, too. Oblivious to anything off about the situation, he started to wave, and call out, "Heeey, Cloud! You coming with us? We're heading to Violet City!"

(Awww, love the new picture! I fully support her <3)

(Imagine trying to return to the internet and then literally getting put into the hospital because your coworker accidentally got your thigh sliced open and hit your crotch so hard you couldn't walk

Also, hi, my apologies for the delay, was in a little bit of a situation)

Without a word, when Cloud reached them he stopped in place, a dead, almost hypnotized look in his eyes, as if they were windows to a now vacant body, whatever inside long since abandoning the vessel. He stood there for a moment, Sneasel looking up at his trainer in growing concern, before Cloud unceremoniously fell forward, landing face first on the ground with a heavy thud.

"Snea!" Sneasel cried, rushing to Cloud, who was unresponsive to the pokemon's cries. It was as though he had only remained awake to get to safety, and now his body was allowing itself to rest.

(Oh jeez. Hope you're alright, now, at least)
"... Crap!" Wylie looked on in helpless shock as Cloud suddenly fell unconscious. "What happened... ?" He shook his head rapidly. "No, never mind that now! We better help him out!" He ran up to Cloud without a second thought.

(Dude wo, what the actual hell?? Are you feeling any better now?)

As Cloud approached, Ara's suspicions were proven correct: something was off. No matter how much she squinted, there was no sign of the usual cold sneer on his face, or his cocky scowl. In fact... there was no light in his eyes at all. She wasn't a doctor or anything, but that couldn't be good.

And then Cloud stood before them... only to fall flat on his face.

A yelp escaped her, herself jumping back. His Sneasel didn't seem to know what was going on--although, now that she looked closely, it seemed pretty beaten up, despite Cloud's bearing no visible wounds. Ara bit her lip as Wylie ran up to Cloud; she followed, heart in her throat. "Sh-we should get him to the Pokemon center!" They probably treated people there too, didn't they?

"Y-yeah! Exactly, they should know what to do." Wylie tried to hoist him up, being as careful as possible. His arms were trembling, which worried him, so he set Cloud back down almost at once. It wasn't going to get him anywhere trying to carry him alone. Silently, Wylie wished he didn't panic so easily in situations like this, but he swallowed it down and turned to Ara. "Hey... can you give me a hand?" he asked.

"Ah--right yes, hold up," Ara bit her lip, bending down to help. Cloud truly didn't have any wounds from what she could see; only some dirt on his clothes, as if he had been rolling around on the ground. No matter how much Ara tried to find a logical explanation, nothing came to mind--which only worried her more. "It's gonna be okay," she told Wylie, noticing his trembling hands. "They'll know how to help."

Perhaps she could convince herself, too, should she keep repeating that. Praying Cloud wasn't too heavy, Ara made to hoist him up and help Wylie carry him to the center.

(Moderately better, just locked to bedrest for a couple more days and then I'll be back on my feet. Still kinda hurts though. I'm alright I suppose, life isn't in danger anymore, so that's cool.)

(Ah yes, your life not being in danger is always wonderful news! I hope you got to rest well these past few days tho, and hopefully life won't do something this rude to you again.)

(Indeed, it's always relieving when your life is not in danger. I'm glad you're doing at least a little better! Take as much rest as you need)
"Uh, yeah. Right." Wylie's face flushed as he realized Ara had noticed his fear. He firmly took hold of Cloud, and helped Ara carry him to the Center, step by careful step. As he did, he couldn't help but wonder what happened. Maybe the earlier incident had taken more of a toll on Cloud than he had let on, or could it be some kind of condition he was keeping to himself? Wylie would have to ask about it later... not that he expected an answer.

(I feel like every time I attempt to make a healthy and reasonably timed return to this site I get injured or my depression says f**k you and I get whisked away into the void :/ but hey, i'm randomly back again)

(Also, kid Cloud flashbacks! Before he became the professional douche he is now :D)

Sneasel followed the group quietly, not doing much aside frofrom staring in concern for his trainer. The weasel couldn't help but feel as though this was his own fault. The Pokemon protected the trainer above all else, always. He had been taught that by Bryce. Human bodies were not designed to take attacks from Pokemon, but his was. And even above that basic principle, Sneasel had his own reasons. That night, the one he always replayed in his head whenever he felt a hint of weakness creeping in, whenever he felt like giving up, like he had reached his limits.

~~~~~

"Papa, what's going on?" A young boy asked urgently, rubbing his eyes as slowly marched his tiny legs down the stairs. As he finished rubbing his eyes, he caught sight of a young dark pokemon being cradled in his papa's arms. "Oh! A Pokemon! Cooool!" grinned, running over to a much older man, who had just kicked the door closed behind him. It was pouring outside, a dark and stormy night one usually heard of in horror stories. Lightning flashed against the windows as the boy stopped suddenly. "Papa...you're soaked..." His voice dropped to nearly a whisper. The man quickly put the pokemon in his arms down, flashing on the liglighlights.

"I found this young Sneasel on my way home, can you run to the washroom and towels please? The little one is freezing." Cloud nodded, hurrying off on his mission to save the pokemon.
~~~~~

"How'd you find him, Papa?" Cloud asked, hands rested on his knees as he watched his father take care of the sick pokemon. "And why was he out in the rain all my himself?"

"This Sneasel, from my guess, was abandoned by its family." He revealed, covering the ice type up and resting him on a pillow. "I found him being harassed by a Spearow flock, and based off his size he can't have been born more than a day or two ago. His parents must have....lost him." He hesitated on the last bit, remembering that Cloud was only six himself. Cloud's eyes lit up.

"That sucks....but that means he's like me, right? His mommy and daddy lost him too..." Cloud was quiet momentarily, before smiling. "That means we have to keep him, right papa? Like you did with me?" The man chuckled, ruffling the boy's already unruly hair.

"I've been raising you well, Cloud. You've really got a good head on your shoulders."
~~~~~

"Sneasel," Bryce leveled his signature cold gaze at the young ice type, "My son is turning ten soon, which means in a few weeks he'll be able to start adventuring and training pokemon. I'm sure you're already aware of that though." Sneasel nodded with a smirk. Whenever the two were alone, Cloud talked about all his adventure plans. "And you know Cloud. He can be stubborn, and his smart mouth gets him into trouble sometimes. You're not much better yourself, that's why you two are such a great pair." Sneasel's smirk faded into a scowl at that, causing the man to chuckle. "You even make the same faces!" Before the dark type could impale Bryce with an Ice Shard, the man continued.

"I'm putting my faith into both of you to take care of each other. This is a dangerous world, and I've trained you well, but there are challenges you two will face that no amount of training in a dojo will prepare you for. But promise me, Sneasel," The gym leader kneeled, bowing his head. "Promise me that no matter what, you'll bring my boy back home safe. You'll protect him with all you have."
~~~~~

Sneasel blinked, snapping himself out of it. Now wasn't the time to relive the past. Cloud was hurt and unconscious, what mattered was his trainer's life. He could stroll down memory lane later.

(My goshhh, I can't believe it took me this long to see you've returned,, I'm so glad you're back man, highkey concerned about your health ngl?? But goddamn at least you're back (unless I replied too late and totally missed your return again coughs--). It's like late night over here so I can't reply to the rp properly yet but I just wanted to let you know I'm glad you're back, and it's definitely okay to take your time with this. 💕

I'll go ahead and inform Epi too, hopefully we'll get to talk to you again!)

(Also, that babie Cloud short was the wholesome Cloud and Sneasel content I didn't know I needed. Like.... my heart, man. You can't just go and hit me with feels like this :/)

(Oh my god, hi! Welcome back <3 It's so good to see you again, and I hope you're doing better. Hell, I hope you continue doing better! I missed you!)

"There it is!" Relief washed over Wylie's face as the familiar red roof of the Pokemon Center was seen just ahead. He rebuked himself briefly before his muscles could slacken- now wasn't the time to get careless- and tightened his grip on Cloud. "It's all gonna be fine once we get there," Wylie spoke aloud to no one in particular.

Ara nodded, although she had a feeling those words weren't meant for her specifically. It wasn't long before the automated doors parted for the group, and Ara opened her mouth to call out for the nurse behind the counter, "Um, nurse - miss! Could we... could you please help us?"

Ouch - - somehow, asking the nurse for help stang just as painfully as those Beedrills. Was it even okay for her to be here? Ara couldn't help but frown at those thoughts. "For Arcues' sake, girl, this is not the time," she chided herself, and as if agreeing, her elbows bend slightly under Cloud's weight, already tired.

Much to Ara's relief, the nurse didn't seem to pay much attention to her and Wylie. Instead, face a mask of calm, the pink-haired lady rushed over to the unconscious trainer and examined him briefly. "You did well, bringing him here," she said finally. Her brows were knitted, as if she could already suspect the cause of Cloud's state. "We have rooms for trainers at the back of the center. Come - - follow me, please!"

Ara watched her turn and hurry off with a hint of exasperation. She could admit she was just slightly worried about Cloud - - but that didn't by any means make her want to carry him around like a sack of potatoes. "She... seems to know what she's doing," she muttered to Wylie.

"That's good. I'd be really concerned if she didn't." Wylie's weak attempt at a joke faded into the air, and his awkward chuckle trailed off with it. He cleared his throat. "Anyway."
Without another word, he did as the nurse asked and followed her along with Ara, stoically ignoring the ache that was starting to form in his arms and shoulders.

(Okay, this is the last redesign for Wylie I'll do, I swear! At least I actually remembered his necklace this time.)
(And since I can't get back into my old account, this is the best I could do- just make his sheet again from scratch. So bear with me XD)

Name: Wylie

Age: 13

Gender: Male

Appearance: As shown

Personality: A sociable, curious guy and a jokester, normally coming across as very relaxed and carefree. Occasionally he can seem overconfident, but much of his demeanor is rooted in jest. However, he can become rattled very easily when a tense situation arises. Even so, he always tries to help (even in situations where what he can offer is limited) and be the positive force to uplift others.
Deep down, there are a lot of contradictions to Wylie's personality. He's a surprisingly good liar, but also shockingly naive to other people's deceptions. He's confident and cheerful, yet his humor often borders on self-deprecation. The more upset he is, the more he tries to smile and reassure others. He has his shining moments of being observant, but he's also a master of denial. (More on that later.)

Backstory: Wylie's family moved to Cherrygrove when he was six, where he describes his childhood as basically idyllic. He had three younger siblings and a mother, but never any kind of father figure. Cyndaquil was a gift to him from his mother at age ten, and Pidgey was the first Pokemon he ever caught himself. However, he didn't officially leave on his journey until much later, spending time instead caring for his siblings. According to Wylie, he doesn't remember anything about the first five years of his life.

Likes: Rural areas, both people and Pokemon, fruit, caffeine, making new discoveries, hiking

Dislikes: Staying alone for too long, bitter food, big cities or crowds, his own tendency to panic

Hometown: His true hometown is unknown, but Cherrygrove is a safe substitute.

Starter Pokemon: Cyndaquil

Pokemon Team: Cyndaquil, Pidgey

Dream/Goal: To make something of himself despite coming from a shaky starting point, and to overcome his own weaknesses.

(I just need to check Fanpop more often honestly, I forget that time zones are a thing lol I am more or less doing fine now, i appreciate both of your concern :) )

(And I had to at least partially flesh out Cloud and Sneasel a bit so he wasn't just a jerk xD)

Sneasel walked alongside the others, still partially lost in thought, but now more lost in guilt over Cloud's condition. Seeing his trainer lifelessly carried around in a hospital was an image he very much planned on never seeing again. With that thought, the ice type tightened its paws into fists. That was right, he was never getting his trainer hurt, ever again. Pryce would never forgive him if he did. As he finished that thought, his ears picked up a feint sound, one too low for a human to notice maybe, but not a Pokemon like Sneasel.

Almost like...

...Like a groan?

Sneasel's eyes shot to the face of Cloud, open wide in excitement. Was he waking up? Was he okay? Sneasel stared intently, waiting for any sign of life in the boy's face to confirm the weasel Pokemon wasn't hallucinating. Nothing, nothing, nothing, and then...

"The...hell?" The words barely escaped Cloud's lips, and Sneasel couldn't fight the grin that spread across his face.

Meanwhile, Cloud was beginning to process what was going on, realizing he was being carried around inside a Pokemon Center. And given his last thought he could remember was laying on the ground unable to move and he had a new Pokeball hitched to his belt, it didn't take long to put two and two together. He must have either somehow caught Beedrill and fainted, or Sneasel had finished the job and brought him back to the others. In either case, he was far too weak at the moment to ask questions.

(That's good! Glad you're doing better :) )
(And excellent, fleshing out characters is always welcomed.)

Wylie indeed didn't catch the first signs of Cloud's awakening, just plodding along in silence. However, as Cloud steadily became more aware, Wylie began to notice a slight change in his expression, and a faint force behind the muscles that had been laying limply moments ago.
"Oh good, you're alright!" Wylie breathed a sigh of relief, then immediately started to backtrack, taking on a more sure-sounding tone of voice. "I mean, not that I was really doubting it, but y'know... " He let out a chuckle tinged with nervousness. "No matter what, there's always gonna be that worry, right?" It was phrased as a question, but Wylie wasn't really expecting an answer.